Southwest Airlines Codeshare Partner, ATA Airlines, Announces Discontinuation of Its Scheduled Passenger Service
Southwest Airlines Accommodates Southwest Ticketed Customers Booked on ATA
Service
DALLAS, April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, ATA Airlines,
Inc. announced its plans to immediately discontinue all scheduled passenger
service. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and ATA Airlines have had a
codeshare agreement since February 2005. This partnership recently allowed
the airlines to exchange passengers and their checked baggage at Chicago
Midway Airport; Las Vegas McCarran International; Phoenix Sky Harbor
International; and Oakland International. The service was available to
select ATA destinations with a single ticketing option through either
airline. Southwest also marketed and sold ATA-only flights. These
arrangements ended with today's announcement from ATA.
"ATA Airlines has been an outstanding partner for Southwest, and we are
disappointed to hear this unfortunate news," said Gary Kelly, Southwest
Airlines Chief Executive Officer. "We are sad to end our codeshare
relationship with ATA but understand it's extremely difficult for an
airline to flourish in today's arduous financial environment that has been
plagued by soaring fuel prices."
Upon hearing ATA's decision, Southwest immediately implemented a plan
to take care of all Customers who purchased a ticket on Southwest and are
scheduled to travel on ATA service by rebooking them on a new itinerary
closest to their previous travel plans, or offering a full refund for any
unused portion of a ticket. Reaccommodation decisions are based on the best
scenario in each Customer situation and contact will be made in the order
of the Customer's scheduled travel date. Southwest's immediate focus is
those Customers who are scheduled to travel within the next 14 days.
Customers with travel scheduled more than 14 days from now also will be
contacted and rebooked on alternative flights or offered refunds; Southwest
must, however, give immediate priority to those Customers whose scheduled
travel dates are most pressing. Southwest reservations agents are in the
process of contacting Southwest Customers who have booked future ATA
service with travel dates from today to the end of ATA's prior schedule of
Aug. 22, 2008. Although Southwest is contacting each Customer regarding
upcoming travel, the airline has created a toll free number to answer
immediate Customer questions regarding ATA's service: 1-800-308-5037.
"Our intention is to offer a viable option to every Southwest ticketed
Customer who is inconvenienced by today's news," said Kelly. "I am
confident that we will once again prove that Southwest Employees go above
and beyond to deliver outstanding Customer Service even under an unusual
set of circumstances."
Southwest Airlines successfully bid and purchased six Chicago Midway
gates from ATA in December 2004. The two carriers began a codeshare
agreement in February 2005 by exchanging Passengers at Chicago Midway, and
the relationship eventually expanded to include codeshare service through
Phoenix, Oakland, and Las Vegas. In December 2005, Southwest acquired four
additional gates at Chicago Midway from ATA. In March 2006, Southwest
Airlines and ATA began a frequent flyer partnership, at which time
Southwest started selling "ATA-only service" on southwest.com.
SOURCE Southwest Airlines
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Southwest Airlines Accommodates Southwest Ticketed Customers Booked on ATA
Service
DALLAS, April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, ATA Airlines,
Inc. announced its plans to immediately discontinue all scheduled passenger
service. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and ATA Airlines have had a
codeshare agreement since February 2005. This partnership recently allowed
the airlines to exchange passengers and their checked baggage at Chicago
Midway Airport; Las Vegas McCarran International; Phoenix Sky Harbor
International; and Oakland International. The service was available to
select ATA destinations with a single ticketing option through either
airline. Southwest also marketed and sold ATA-only flights. These
arrangements ended with today's announcement from ATA.
"ATA Airlines has been an outstanding partner for Southwest, and we are
disappointed to hear this unfortunate news," said Gary Kelly, Southwest
Airlines Chief Executive Officer. "We are sad to end our codeshare
relationship with ATA but understand it's extremely difficult for an
airline to flourish in today's arduous financial environment that has been
plagued by soaring fuel prices."
Upon hearing ATA's decision, Southwest immediately implemented a plan
to take care of all Customers who purchased a ticket on Southwest and are
scheduled to travel on ATA service by rebooking them on a new itinerary
closest to their previous travel plans, or offering a full refund for any
unused portion of a ticket. Reaccommodation decisions are based on the best
scenario in each Customer situation and contact will be made in the order
of the Customer's scheduled travel date. Southwest's immediate focus is
those Customers who are scheduled to travel within the next 14 days.
Customers with travel scheduled more than 14 days from now also will be
contacted and rebooked on alternative flights or offered refunds; Southwest
must, however, give immediate priority to those Customers whose scheduled
travel dates are most pressing. Southwest reservations agents are in the
process of contacting Southwest Customers who have booked future ATA
service with travel dates from today to the end of ATA's prior schedule of
Aug. 22, 2008. Although Southwest is contacting each Customer regarding
upcoming travel, the airline has created a toll free number to answer
immediate Customer questions regarding ATA's service: 1-800-308-5037.
"Our intention is to offer a viable option to every Southwest ticketed
Customer who is inconvenienced by today's news," said Kelly. "I am
confident that we will once again prove that Southwest Employees go above
and beyond to deliver outstanding Customer Service even under an unusual
set of circumstances."
Southwest Airlines successfully bid and purchased six Chicago Midway
gates from ATA in December 2004. The two carriers began a codeshare
agreement in February 2005 by exchanging Passengers at Chicago Midway, and
the relationship eventually expanded to include codeshare service through
Phoenix, Oakland, and Las Vegas. In December 2005, Southwest acquired four
additional gates at Chicago Midway from ATA. In March 2006, Southwest
Airlines and ATA began a frequent flyer partnership, at which time
Southwest started selling "ATA-only service" on southwest.com.
SOURCE Southwest Airlines
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